Tablet arm accessory



Feb. 16, 1960 E. B. MORGAN 2,925,123

TABLET ARM ACCESSORY Filed March 6, 1958 4 Sheet-Sheet l INVENTOR Ez'din .B. Moz gaz BY ismzazwa ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1960 E. B. MORGAN 2 TABLET ARM ACCESSORY Filed March 6, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR BY i -mdawad ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1960 E. B. MORGAN TABLET ARM ACCESSORY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 6, 1958 INVENTOR Et'lJillg 13. Megan WITNESS ATTORNEY H/a uu/ S. @Aoww Feb. 16, 1960 E. B. MORGAN TABLET ARM ACCESSORY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 6, 1958 IN VENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,925,123 TABLET ARM ACCESSORY Erving B. Morgan, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a

corporation of New Jersey Application March 6, 1958, Serial No, 719,650

12 Claims. (Cl. 155-128) The, present invention relates, to a tablet arm accessory for chairs, and particularly for folding chairs. 7

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a tablet arm accessory which can, quickly be mounted on a chair and removed therefrom; to provide such an accessory which requires no fastening means such as clamps or bolts and nuts to mount it on a chair; to provide such a tablet arm accessory which is especially well adapted for use in conjunction with folding chairs and which is itself foldable when not in use so as to. occupy a minimum of space for storage or shipping; and in general to provide suchfa tablet arm accessory for chairswhich is simple and sturdy in construction, reasonably economical in manufacture, and attractive in appearance.

Illustrative embodiments of the inventionuare shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

,Figure l is a. side elevational view of a steel folding chair of the inverted-Y type with the new tablet arm accessory mountedthereon for use;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the same, the pivotally mounted tablet arm being shown in its use position in full lines, and in an upwardly swung non-use position in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal sectiona-l view of parts of the same, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view. of the new. accessory per se, in a folded non-use condition for storage or shipping;

l Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the same;

Figure, 6 is a side elevational view of asteel folding chair of the X type with a modified form, of the invention, mounted thereon for use;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary front elevatio nal view of i the same, the pivotallymounted tablet .armbeing shown;

in its, use position in full lines, and, in-a,downwardly swung non-use position in dotted lines; v,

Figure 8 is a bottomplan view of the modified form of the invention shown in.Figures .6 and .7, the accessory beingbere shown in folded nonfuse condition;

Figure 9 is a side eleyational view of, the same;

FigurelO is a side elevational view of anothenmodifi cation of the invention mountedon an X type steel folding chair; a

. Figure 11 is a side'elevational view of still another modified form of theinvention, the tablet arm accessory; being here shown mounted on a X type wood folding chair; and

Figure 12 isa horizontal sectional view of parts of the same taken on line 12-12 of Figure 11.

Referring now in detail to these drawings, and referring first particularly to Figures 1-5, the tablet arm accessory there shown is particularly adapted for use in connection with a steel foldinglchair of the inverted-Y type, as shown. This chair comprises a tubular metal front frame bent to form the front legs 20 of the chair, tubular metal rear legs 21 pivotally connected at 22 to the front legs 20 above the seat level of the chair, and a chair seat 23 pivotally mounted on a rod 24 extending 2,925,123 Patented Feb. 16, 1960 between the. front legs 20, the seat being also connected to the rear legs 21 by means of suitable links 25.

The tablet arm accessory comprises a frame generally designated 26 desirably fabricated from a length of metal tubing which is so bent that, when the accessory is mounted on the unfolded chair, it forms a forwardlyrearwardly extending upper part 27 in substantial parallellism with and above the chair seat, a forward arm 28 extending from the forward end of the upper part 27 rearwardly-downwardly alongside the chair legs 20, 21 at one side of the chair and below the seat level, and a rearward arm 29 extending from the rearward end of the upper part 27 rearwardly-downwardly alongside said legs' 20, 21 above the seat level. The lower rearward ends of the arms 28, 29 are preferably flattened as shown. t

A pair of channel brackets is secured to the rear portions of the frames arms 28, 29 as by means of welding. The rear channel bracket, 30 is secured top and bottom to the flattened rearwardmost ends of the arms 28, 29, while the front channel bracket is secured to said arms at an angle to the rear bracket equal to the downwardly divergent angle between the chairs front leg 20 and rear leg 21. The rear channel bracket 30 is cross-sectionally C- shaped and opens. forwardly, while the front channel bracket 31 is cross-sectionally c-shaped and opens rearwardly, these brackets being thus adapted to snugly embrace the tubular legs of the chair.

The tablet arm 32 of the accessory is turnably mounted on the upper part 27 of the tubular frame 26 by means of strap bearings 33 secured to the underside of the tablet arnras by. screws 34. ,The tablet arm is thus swingable between a lowered use position and a raised non-use position as seen in Figure 2. Releasable means are provided for supporting the tablet arm 32 in its lowered use position and as here shown this means comprises a brace 35 having its lower, outer end pivotally connected at 36 to the forward arm 28 of the frame 26 and. having its upper, inner end slidably fitted into a slot 37 in an angle bracket 38 dependingly secured to the underside of the tablet arm. When the accessory is mounted on the chair, the tablet arm 32 can thus be swung upwardly to facilitate ingress to and egress from the chair, or it can be lowered to its use position, such lowering movement being limited by contact of. the brace 35; with one end of slot 37. When thelaccessory is not in use the tablet am 32 can be swung to .its position of mountedon the unfolded chair by simply, sliding its channel brackets 30, 31 downwardly over the chairs legs 20, 21, said brackets snugly but detachably embracing said legs to securely but removably hold the accessory in position, on the chair. The. accessory can be removed from the chair by simply liftingit off.

Figures 6-9 of the drawings show a modifiedform of the tablet arm accessory, applied to a steel folding chair of the X type. In this form of folding chair, the front legs 40 andrcar legs 41 cross over and are pivotally connected to each other at' 42 beneath the seat 43. As here shown the accessory is adapted for removable mounting on the upwardly diverging upper segments 44 and 45 of the front legs 40 and rear legs 41 respectively. In this form of the invention the frame 46 of the accessory comprises a length of metal tubing bent to form a forwardly-rearwardly extending upper part 47 in substantial parallellism with and above the chair seat, a forward arm 48 depending from the forward end of the upper part 47 and extending rearwardly alongside the segments 44, 45 of the chair legs, and a rearward arm 49 depending from the rearward end of said upper part 47 and extending forwardly alongside the leg segments 44, 45. A pair of channel brackets 50, 51 are welded to the frames arms 48, 49 and are disposed atthe same upwardly divergent'angle as the upper leg segments 44, 45, being 'thus adapted to detachably embrace said leg segments 44, 45 for removably mounting the accessory on the chair. In this. form of invention'the tablet arm 52 is turnably mounted by strap bearings 53 on the frames upper part 47 so as to swing downwardly from its use position to a folded, non-use position for storage as seen in Figures 8 and 9. In its use position, seen in Figures 6 and 7, the tablet arm 52 is supported by a brace 55 pivotally connected at 56 to the frames forward arm 48 and engageable in a notch 57 in an angle bracket 58 secured to the underside of the tablet arm 7 52. The accessoryas here shown' is mounted on and removed from the chair in a manner similar to that described in connection with the form of the invention shown in Figures 1-5. 1

The species of the invention shown in Figure is the same as that shown in Figures 6-9 except that in this form of the invention the frames rearward arm 59 is extended and bent as shown to provide a mounting for an additional pair of channel brackets 60, 61 which engage the downwardly diverging lower segments 62, 63 of the chairs legs. j

' Figures 11 and 12 show a modification of the invention which is speciallyjadapted for use with an X type wood folding chairhaving cross-sectionally rectangular legs. In this modification the tubular frames forward arm 80 and rearward arm 81 depend fromjits' upper part 8z and extend rearwardly alongside the lower segments Q3, 84 of the chairs legs. The channel brackets 85, 86secured' to the arms 80, 81' are right angularly formed so as tosnugly engage the chairs legs when the accessory is mounted on the chair.

Althoughthe invention is primarily intended for use with, and herein shown and described in connection with folding chairs, it can also be well adapted for use with chairs of .the fixed type and, in fact, with chairs ofany type wherein the chair legs have either downwardly divergent or upwardly divergent segments. And While but several specific embodiments of the invention have been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous other embodiments might be conceived without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A tablet arm' accessory for an in vert ecllv type fold-i ing "chair having: forwardly-downwardly extending front legs and rearwardly-downwardly. extending .rearf legs; hingedly connected at their upper ends: to the front legs above the level of the chair seat,.said accessory being adapted for removable .mounting on the downwardly diverging pair of front and rear legs at one side of the unfolded chair, and said accessory comprising: .Aframe. fabricated from a length of metal tubing bent to form a forwardly-rearwardly extending-upper parttin substantial 'ment with the chair legs resp'ectively'and being of sulficientlength to positivelylocate said accessory and removably support the accessory on the chair with no other means of attachment; and a tablet arm mounted on the upper part of said frame.

2. A tablet arm accessory according to claim 1 in which said pair of channelbrackets comprises a rear channel bracket secured to the rearward ends of said forward and rearward arms, said rear bracket opening forwardly so as to nest around the rearward sufaces of said rear chair leg; and a front channel bracket secured to said forward and rearward arms at an angle to the rear bracket equal to the downwardly divergentangle between said pair of chair legs, said front bracket opening rearwardly so as to nest around the forward'surfaces of said front chair leg. I V

3. A tablet arm accessory for an X type folding chair having pairs of legs pivotally connected together heneath the chair seat, said accessory being adapted for removable mounting on the upwardly diverging upper segments of the crossed-over pair of chair legs beneath the chair seat and at one side of the unfolded chair, and said accessory comprising: a frame fabricated from a length of metal tubing bent to form a forwardly-rearwardly extending upper part in substantial parallellism with and above the chair seat, a forward arm depending from the forward end of said upper part and extending alongside said upwardly diverging upper leg segments, and a rearward arm depending from the rearward end ofsaid upper part and extending alongside said upwardly diverging upper'leg'segments; a pair of elongated channel brackets secured to the portions of said arms extend; ing alongside said upper leg segments, said brackets being disposed atthe same upwardly divergent angle as said; upper leg segments and being adapted to detachably embrace" said upperleg segments for removably mount- 7 ing' the accessory on the chair, said brackets being clamped downwardly by the weight of the accessory into snug engagement with the chair legs respectively and being of sufiicient length to positively locate said accessory and removably support the accessory on the chair with no other means of attachment; and a tablet arm mounted on the upper part of said frame.

4. A tablet arm accessory for an X type folding'chair having pairs" of legs pivotally connected together he;

, neath the chair seat, said accessory being adapted for a'lengthoffmetal tubing-bent to form a forwardly-rearwardly extending 'upper part in substantial parallellisin with and above the chair seat, aforward arm depending from the forward end of'said upper part and extending alongside said downwardly diverging lower leg segments,

and a rearward arm dependingfrom the rearward end of said upper par't and extending alongside-said downwardly diverginglower leg segments; a pair of elongated chann'el'brackets secured to the portions of said arms extending alongside said lower leg segments, said braek- 1 'ets, being disposed 'at the same downwardly divergent angle as said lower leg segments and being adapted to detachably embrace said lower leg segments for removably mounting the accessory on the chair, said brackets being clamped downwardly by the weight of the accessory into snug engagement with the chair legs respectively and being of sufficient lengthto positively locate said accessory, and rernovably support the a ccessory on' the chair with noother means of attachment; and a tablet arm mounted on the upper part of said frame. V

5. A tablet arm accessoryfor an X type foldingchair having pairs of legs pivotally connected together be neath the chair'seat, said accessory being adapted for removable, mounting on the upwardly diverging upper segments and the downwardly diverging 'lower segments of theqcrossed-over pair of chair legs beneath the chair seat and at One side of the unfolded chair, and Said M cessory comprising: a frame fabricated from a length of metal tubing bent to form a forwardly-rearwardly extending upper part in substantial parallellism with and above the chair seat, a forward arm depending from the forward end of said upper part and extending alongside said crossed-over pair of chair legs, and a rearward arm depending from the rearward end of said upper part and extending alongside said crossed-over pair of chair legs; an upper pair of channel brackets and a lower pair of channel brackets secured to the portions of said arms extending alongside said crossed-over pair of chair legs, the upper pair of brackets being disposed at the same upwardly divergent angle as said upper leg segments and being adapted to detachably embrace said upper leg segments, and the lower pair of brackets being disposed at the same downwardly divergent angle as said lower leg segments and being adapted to detachably embrace said lower leg segments, all for removably mounting the accessory on the chair; and a tablet arm mounted on the upper part of said frame.

6. A detachable tablet arm accessory for a chair having at one side thereof divergent front and rear legs, said accessory comprising: a frame adapted for disposition along said one side of the chair and extending above the chair seat; a tablet arm mounted on the upper part of saidframe; and a pair of elongated brackets mounted on the lower part of said frame in divergent disposition conforming to the divergence of said front and rear legs, the front bracket being detachably engageable with the front chair leg and the rear bracket being detachably engageable with the rear chair leg, said brackets being clamped downwardly by the weight of the accessory into snug engagement with the chair legs respectively and being of sufiicient length to positively locate said accessory and removably support the accessory on the chair with no other means of attachment.

7. A detachable tablet arm accessory according to claim 6 in which the front and rear legs, and the front and rear brackets, are downwardly divergent.

8. A detachable tablet arm accessory according to claim 7 in which the front bracket is of rearwardly opening form so as to nest with the front surface of the front chair leg and the rear bracket is of forwardly opening 6 form so as to nest with the rear surface of the rear chair leg.

9. A detachabletablet arm accessory according to claim 7 in which the front bracket is of rearwardly opening channel form So as to nest with the front surface of the front chair leg and the rear bracket is of forwardly opening channel form so as to nest with the rear surface of the rear chair leg.

10. A detachable tablet arm accessory according to claim 6 in which the front and rear legs are fabricated of metal tubing and in which the front and rear brackets are of cross-sectionally G-shaped channel form so as to snugly nest with said chair legs.

11. A detachable tablet arm accessory according to claim 6 in which said frame comprises a length of metal tubing bent to form a forwardly extending upper part in substantial parallelism with the chair seat on which upper part said tablet arm is mounted, and depending forward and rearward arms on the lower parts of which said brackets are mounted.

12. A detachable tablet arm accessory according to claim 11 in which the tablet arm is turnably mounted on the upper part of the tubular frame for swinging movement between a non-use vertical position and a use position overhanging the chair seat, and releasable means for supporting the tablet arm in said use position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT-S D. 169,931 Chapman et al June 30, 1953 1,124,924 Leonard Ian. 12, 1915 2,048,014 Lochman et a1. July 21, 1936 2,306,438 Hallock Dec. 29, 1942 2,564,622 Franklin Aug. 14, 1951 2,650,651 Choate Sept. 1, 1953 2,664,943 Clarin Jan. 5, 1954 2,673,597 Hitchcock Mar. 30, 1954 2,675,062 Clarin Apr. 13, 1954 2,711,210 Henrikson June 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 104,524 Switzerland May 1, 1924 1,094,893 France Dec. 15, 1954 

